by Mike Crowson
* * *
Manjy was entering information referring to various spots, which Frank was marking on a detailed plan of the excavations.
"I think I've figured out a way we can tell if it's reincarnation or psychometry," she said to Frank, looking up.
"Oh yeah," he responded, "What's that?"
Alicia stopped what she was doing and listened too as Manjy explained. "The ring would be the centre of psychometry," she said, "so let some of the volunteers unconnected with the group from the university try it on. If they don't experience anything, I'll put it on."
"Well if two of the volunteers don't experience anything and you do, I'll try it on as well." said Alicia.
"You're on. I'll just go and get two of the volunteers." Manjy almost ran out.
"What the hell's that all about?" demanded Alan.
"Well," said Frank. "There's so much to it that I don't know where to begin."
"For a start, what ring are you talking about?"
"The one we dug up," Frank told him. "Either psychometry or something like it is causing people who try on the ring to 'experience' events from the past of the ring. Steve, Gill and me, we've all had a sort of waking dream that the others shared."
"Manjy seems to thinks it's reincarnation not psychometry." Alan said.
"She seems pretty convinced," Frank agreed.
"She believes in reincarnation anyway. That's a head start on us," Alicia told him.
"You really going to try the ring?" Frank asked.
"If Manjy gets a story from it I more or less promised."
"I have a gut feeling you both will," said Frank. "Logic says you're right about it being some kind of psychometry, but I feel she's right."
"This could be interesting," said Alan. "I think I'll join you this afternoon."
"If the ring is important, then perhaps the amulet will prove to be important in some way as well," said Frank.
The cabin door opened and Manjy came back in, followed by the two female volunteers. "Hey, what did you want us for?" asked the taller, more talkative one.
"Didn't Manjy explain, Carol?" asked Alicia.
"Not a word."
"Ah! Well, we'd like you both to do something silly, safe and simple for us." She turned to the cabinet and took the ring out of the drawer where she had put it for safekeeping.
"We'd like you to try this ring on as part of an experiment." Carol took the ring and examined it.
"Go on," Alicia urged her, "It won't bite you. It's the ring we found two days ago. We're trying to see what we can find out about the ring and its owner."
Carol still hesitated for a moment before she put it on, trying her little finger first and, when she found it very loose, transferring it to her third finger. Manjy, Frank and Alicia all waited, half expecting another story: it was with the greatest difficulty that she kept up the pretence of an experiment on the size of the ring.
"Of course we could do this much more scientifically back at the University," said Alicia, "but we were too curious to wait, which finger did you put on? Oh yes. Third finger, right hand. Was it tight?"
"A bit. It needed to be about a size bigger really." Carol replied.
"OK." said Alicia, trying to sound businesslike as Carol tugged it off, "Give it to Peggy to try. She's a bit smaller than you."
The smaller girl took the ring and slipped it on. Again there was no response and again Alicia had to keep up the pretend experiment. "How is it?" she asked.
"A good fit. Could be just a little too large."
"Let's compare your hands," said Alicia, holding their hands up against each other, "If one of you is just a shade too big and one of you is just a shade too small, we have a good idea of the size of the original owner. Games like this aren't entirely without a point you know. Well, thanks a lot ladies."
"Mind if we get back to Trivial Pursuit?" asked Carol.
"Nope I don't mind, you get back. We've done for now," Alicia told her, "Thanks." She waited until the other two had closed the door behind them.
"I'll strangle you." she said to Manjy, and Frank laughed.
"Well she's made her point," said Frank. "If psychometry was the answer you'd expect the girls to get some response."
"She's made half of her point. She has to put the ring on and get a response to convince me."
"I don't think we ought to do that without Steve and Gill," said Manjy, "because they had the rest of the story of the ring and it doesn't seem fair to leave them out now."
"I guess we can wait a bit," admitted Frank.
Alicia glanced at her watch. "They'll be back any time now if the ferry was on time." she said. "Well have lunch earlyish in case the weather fines up." She looked out briefly at the steady rain. "If it doesn't clear up, Manjy can try the ring this afternoon." As she spoke she looked out and watched the Landrover as it squelched back into the field.
The ferry had brought in some mail as well as the usual fresh supplies and developed photographs and the letters were shared out. Frank's two had US. stamps; Manjy's was not in English; Gill's was from her parents, Steve didn't have one at all and Alicia had two - an official looking one with a typewritten address and the University frank stamped on it, and one from home. She opened and read the university one first.
"Professor Harrington's coming up to see how we're getting on with the dig," she said, putting the letter on the table. "I hope the weather clears up so he finds us busy."
"Does he say when he's coming?" asked Steve.
"Not exactly, but it's soon."
"Well it's not to-day," said Steve, "because there isn't another ferry 'till tomorrow. So let's finish trying on the ring to-day in case he wants to take it away with him."
"Why should he want to do that?" asked Alicia.
Steve, who had begun to open some cheese for sandwiches, stopped and thought about it. "I don't know why I said that. For a moment I just sort of 'knew' he would. Well, might. For security perhaps. He might want to take all the small valuable finds."
"Curious," said Alicia, but didn't elaborate. "Well, we'll get on with lunch, then Manjy can try the ring."
"And don't forget your promise. If I do get a reaction from the ring, you're next Alicia."
"I haven't forgotten."
"I'll help Steve with lunch. I can't wait to continue the story," said Gill and opened the packets of soup mix.
After the lunch Trivial Pursuit was resumed and seemed to absorb all those not taken up with the ring, and so it was that the six of them were left to themselves without effort on their part.
"Right," said Manjy. "The other half of my proof. Carol and Peggy didn't get any reaction this morning, but I will. Let's have the ring."
"You're very sure of yourself," observed Alicia, handing it to her.
"I am," said Manjy, "and maybe we'll get the answer to the question of where it came from." She put it on the first finger of her long, thin hand.